[A study on the prognosis of patients with asbestos pleurisy].
We investigated the outcome of patients with asbestos pleurisy. The mean follow-up period of 12 patients was 6.5 +/- 3.7 years. Recurrence occurred in 5 patients (41.7%). Six of the cases recurred contralateral to the original lesion, while one recurred ipsilaterally. The mean period from onset to recurrence was 2.8 +/- 2.8 years. Five of the cases ended in death, and the mean period from onset to death was 5.0 +/- 3.1 years. Two patients died from pneumonia, 2 died from respiratory failure due to progressive pleural fibrosis, and 1 died from lung cancer. One of the 2 patients with progressive pleural fibrosis had leukopenia. It has been reported that the majority of cases of asbestos pleurisy resolve spontaneously, with a good prognosis. However, because of the possible mortality associated with respiratory failure caused by progressive pleural fibrosis, it seems prudent to follow patients with asbestos pleurisy closely.
Tamura
M
M
Nishinara Byouin National Sanatorium, Nara, Japan.
Okamoto
Y
Y
Tokuyama
T
T
Hamada
K
K
Kasuga
H
H
Yoneda
T
T
Miyazaki
R
R
Narita
N
N
D000368:Aged; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence